How Stress Steals Your Memory
By Viktoriia Ermolaeva
Emotions are an important aspect of our lives, as they influence our thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions. Emotions and memory are closely linked and interact with each other in a significant way. Have you ever wondered why some memories remain vivid, while others, we can easily forget? The truth is emotions play a key role in how our brains process information.
Each of us has experienced the feeling of being prepared for an important event, be it an exam or a public performance. Everything is learned by heart, you are confident in your knowledge and feel prepared. However, when the moment of truth arrives, there is a set of questions in front of you, and suddenly, seemingly without warning, the simplest concepts that seemed so clear suddenly disappear from your memory. This is a common example of how emotions can affect our ability to recall information. In this case, stress, anxiety, or fear of failure are blocking access to necessary information. This happens to me each time. Even during a regular quiz with short questions, a moment before turning in the answer sheet, I can easily recite all the material in my head. But as soon as the time to write begins, all clear wording seems to vanish from my mind. Emotional events tend to be more memorable, whereas stress and anxiety can lead to forgetfulness. Evidence from our lives have shown that stress has a negative effect on our memory. When faced with stressful situations, the brain may react in various ways. However, what happens when a person is subjected to stress on a regular basis?
The hippocampus is an important part of the brain located in its interior, which plays a critical role in the formation and storage of memory as well as spatial navigation. After a single stressful event, the brain may be more receptive to memorizing new information but, after about an hour, the hippocampus may require rest, which will make it difficult to continue encoding new information. In a short period of time, cortisol may improve the process of memory formation, as it stimulates the activity of neurons in the hippocampus. This may explain why, after a stressful event, individuals may remember the details of the event more clearly. However, prolonged stimulation of the hippocampus due to stress may lead to the overloading of its neural networks. Approximately an hour after a stressful experience, the hippocampus may start to experience fatigue. This happens because it has been highly active in processing the information related to the stressor, and now needs time to recover. During this recovery period, the hippocampus must rest in order to prevent damage to its neurons. If cortisol levels remain high for too long, they can be harmful, potentially leading to the degeneration of neurons in the hippocampus. This rest period is essential to allow the hippocampus to return to normal function and continue processing and storing new memories effectively. In order to protect against this, the brain may reduce hippocampal activity if cortisol levels remain elevated (Healthline, 2022).
Emotional events are often remembered better. For example, positive emotions such as happiness or excitement can highlight certain experiences against the general background. The associated strong emotions help strengthen memory, which facilitates subsequent recall. The emotional center of the brain interacts with the hippocampus, improving the encoding of these memories, ensuring the preservation of significant emotional events. However, when stress or anxiety is part of the experience, the effects on memory can be more complex. For example, feeling stressed before an important exam may initially help focus attention, but prolonged stress can begin to impair memory. In the long run, such a stress response can disrupt memory consolidation, leading to forgetfulness and difficulty remembering information. Thus, while emotions such as happiness can improve memory by strengthening the brain's memory systems, stress, especially prolonged stress, can overload these systems and reduce the ability to effectively encode and remember information (Heerema, 2019).
Additionally, it is crucial to keep in mind the connection between our mind and body. The energy required to manage emotions and deal with stress can interfere with memory processes. Depression, for example, can make it difficult to concentrate and impair perception. Grief also demands significant emotional energy and reduces our ability to focus. Even a small amount of stress can make it challenging to remember certain things. In such situations, it is important to understand and manage the causes of stress in order to provide significant support for individuals. Support, counseling, improved sleep patterns, and emotion management are all important factors in supporting cognitive recovery. Therefore, the ability to effectively cope with stress, control emotions, and understand their impact on memory is crucial for improving cognitive function and overall quality of life.
In conclusion, stress and emotions have a significant impact on the processes of memorization, especially encoding. Chronic stress can overload the hippocampus, making it difficult to encode and remember. This can cause temporary or long-term memory problems.
References
How Do Emotions Affect Your Memories? (2022, July 10). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/how-does-emotion-impact-memory#what-to-do-about-it
Heerema, E. (2019). It’s Not Always Alzheimer’s: What Causes Memory Loss. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-causes-memory-loss-4123636